As the importance of self-care continues to grow in an increasingly chaotic and stressful world, so does the popularity of blowout bars.
Blowout bars (also known as blowout salons, blow dry bars, or just dry bars) offer clients an easy and quick way to spruce up their hairdo before an important event while indulging in some pampering at an extremely affordable price.
Quick and convenient, these blowout bars provide salon owners and hairstylists a great way to make faster revenue. That’s why many salon owners are converting unused real estate in their salons into dry bars offering “express services” besides investing in standalone blowout bars.
In this article, we’ll take a look at what blowout bars are, the benefits they offer, and how you could go about setting one up from scratch.
Let’s get started.
Good hair days do matter. Even with a plethora of YouTube tutorial videos at your disposal, you know that not all those tips are going to work.
As much as we’d like our aesthetic not to determine our self-worth, 68% of women still feel that a “bad hair day” dampens their confidence and impedes work performance.
However, it’s not easy to have smooth, shiny, and frizz-free hair at all times — what with the heat and humidity outdoors and our busy lives. That’s what makes a salon blowout bar so useful and convenient for clients regardless of their hair types.
Although the concept has been around for decades, dry bars started emerging in the hair care industry in 2008. Since then they have racked up over $9 billion in revenue (from services and retail sales combined).
In its simplest form, a dry bar or salon blowout bar exclusively provides blowouts — washing, blow-drying, and hairstyling (from a preset menu) to achieve a sleek look, style, and feel. No haircuts, coloring, or chemical treatments are offered.
Most blowout bars create a relaxing atmosphere with attractive decor and cozy furniture. You might find them playing some of the best chick flicks on large televisions and offering complimentary wine, champagne, or cocktails to clients as they receive their services.
Some blowout salons might even provide additional services like a deep conditioning hair mask or a 10-minute scalp massage or to help clients relax some more. Most dry bars allow clients to book appointments in advance, and the best ones use appointment management software to facilitate the process.
Blowout bars provide a unique opportunity for salon entrepreneurs to generate revenue quickly. Since the service requires just washing, blow-drying, and styling, they are also quite low on maintenance. Below are some of the key benefits that blow-out bars offer.
Blowout bars offer a quick and easy way to make the hairstyle look sleek and shiny. Services usually take 30-45 minutes at the most, so women can easily avail themselves before the start of the workweek or an evening event. The best part is that with a little upkeep (some dry shampoo / dry conditioner and baths but no showers), they can make dry bar blowouts last several days.
All of us need an occasional indulgence to relax and keep our spirits up so we can keep up with our daily lives without getting burnt out or overwhelmed. Spa sessions are awesome but most of us can’t afford them regularly. Blowout bars can provide clients with a spa-like experience for a fraction of the cost (about $45) making them an “affordable luxury.” This makes them an attractive option for people.
In the wake of a global pandemic, people are not only stretching out the time between haircuts but also cutting back on costly services like permanent straightening or coloring. Unfortunately for salon owners, those are generally the most profitable services as well.
However, blowout salons or dry bars offer a unique opportunity for salon entrepreneurs. Their affordability makes them a lucrative option for clients. You can also serve more clients because blowouts typically take between 30 and 45 minutes per person. Since profits largely depend on your ability to get people in and out efficiently, dry bars are a great way to make faster revenue and grow salon profits.
The blowout bar experience is not only fun to do on your own, but also with your friends and family. Blow-dry bars are great spots for hosting birthday parties and bridal showers, hanging out with girlfriends, or spending some quality mother-daughter time.
Women may also want to schedule some time at a dry bar before a bachelorette party, a prom, a wedding, or a girl’s night. So, offering blowouts at your salon can help you attract large groups and get plenty of business.
The effects of a blowout don’t last very long — they disappear as soon as a client gets their hair wet. However, since they’re pretty affordable, people don’t want to wait too long to come back for another.
This creates an amazing opportunity for repeat business and improved client loyalty — especially if your stylists do a fabulous job. Adding a dry bar to your salon, therefore, creates an additional revenue stream and keeps your clients coming back more than usual.
Salon entrepreneurs are constantly looking for ways to add more clients to their books, and blowout bars can help you do just that. However, if you’re just starting out, you might be wondering if it might make more sense to open your own dry bar or become a franchisee of an already established chain.
Here’s the good news. Becoming a franchisee will take much of the guesswork out of the equation. However, you need to keep a few things in mind. You need to be prepared to invest a substantial fee to sign up with your franchisor.
In addition, you might need to pay annual or monthly franchise fees besides the cost of payroll. Also, you’ll have limited control over your business — you must be prepared to strictly adhere to your franchisor’s operating procedures and brand guidelines.
On the other hand, if you set up your own blowout bar, there will be a steep learning curve and you might not be adequately prepared to handle the challenges that come with running a blowout salon. You’ll still have complete autonomy and won’t need to share profits with a franchisor. However, these benefits might actually outweigh the costs of setting up your own dry bar.
So, if you’re just starting out, it’s probably a better idea to become a blowout bar franchisee than to set up your own dry bar. Your franchisor may already be an established brand with a solid reputation and strong following which can make it easier for you to attract clients. Also, most reputable blowout bar franchises provide extensive training, assistance, and support that you can greatly benefit from.
Not all salon blowout bar franchises are created equal. While some might set you up for success with heaps of support, training, and excellent business systems, others might leave you to fend for yourself.
So, make sure to research all available options to determine which one is best for you. Even before you fill out an application, you must take the time to understand their fees, initial startup costs, and the kind of support they provide.
Remember that you can’t really run a blowout bar franchise as a side hustle. You’ll need to invest a significant amount of time and money to get it up and running and make it a success. Analyze the costs associated with your franchise and create a budget to ensure you can cover them all.
Your costs will ultimately depend on the brand you choose to partner with. For example, Primp and Blow, Drybar, Blo Blow Dry Bar, or Cherry Blow Dry Bar are some viable options you can choose from.
Most of them would require you to pay an initial franchise fee to sign up, plus the cost of a grand opening and advertising. You’ll most likely also need to pay a monthly or annual royalty fee. In addition, some franchises may also charge renewal fees, brand maintenance fees, and other expenses.
Initial franchise fee. This is usually a lump sum fee that you’ll need to pay upon signing your agreement. It is meant to cover the expenses of providing training, marketing costs, and legal fees borne by the franchisor. The franchise fee is typically a non-refundable one.
Blo Blow Dry Bar estimates your initial start-up cost to be between $214,443 and $337,352. This includes their initial franchise fee of $40,000.
Royalty fee. This is a recurring cost that you’ll need to pay as long as you are a franchisee. It’s calculated as a percentage of your revenue and is typically a monthly fee. Blo Blow Dry Bar, for example, charges a monthly royalty fee of 6% of gross sales.
Besides the fees mentioned above, you’ll also need to account for business expenses like staff salaries or insurance and other overheads in your budget. Consider all possible costs and expenses before you invest in a franchise — make sure you have the adequate cash flow to stay afloat.
As with every business, the first step in promoting your blowout salon is to identify your target audience and tailor your offerings around them. You’ll have access to basic marketing materials from your franchisor, however, it will be your responsibility to make sure that your promotional messages reach the right audience. As such, it’s best to engage in a number of salon marketing tactics.
Social media marketing can prove to be very effective for promoting your new blowout bar. However, you’ll need to know which platforms your audiences are most likely to be found on.
For example, if your target audience is on Instagram, create a page for your blowout bar on the platform and start posting engaging content regularly. You could partner with influencers, run giveaways, post social proof, publish before and after pictures, or give your audience a closer look at the client experience.
The Blowout Bar, for example, uses Instagram to show how they create different looks for clients.
Small business email marketing is another great way to market your blowout bar, particularly if you have an existing clientele. For example, if you already have a salon and you’re setting up a blowout in your current location, send an email to your clients inviting them to try the service.
Booksy makes this easy to do with our built-in smart marketing capabilities. With customizable email templates and personalization features, it’s easy to write compelling emails and launch targeted campaigns.
Offers and promotions can be effective at driving conversions. So if it makes sense for your business, consider running a sale on your products or styling services. Have a look at this example from Blowout Studio, which ran a Black Friday sale to promote its gift cards and products.
To run a successful blowout bar, you need to focus on providing comfort and value to your clients. Comfortable seating, complimentary drinks, and high-quality televisions can go a long way in creating an atmosphere where your clients feel pampered. Also, make sure that your styling services are affordable and that your stylists do an excellent job every time.
Whether you set up your own blowout bar or become a franchisee, it’s up to you to create an exceptional business experience that keeps your clients coming back time and again.
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